Where do you want to be in five years? Opening my third medical practice in a different quadrant of Tampa Bay. Creating a tremendous impact in the community via my nonprofit organization Keys For Life.

How do you define success? Reaching a bar/goal that you set for yourself and knowing that you did your best.

Tell us about your most fruitful business experience. Starting my own medical practice right out of training and not settling for the standard in my field, which is to join a group and/or hospital and then eventually 10 years later venturing out.

How are you changing for the new economy? Attempting to run a cost-effective and efficient medical practice. Limiting overhead and strategically planting myself in various sectors of my immediate community. I feel it is important not only to diversify one’s financial portfolio but also one’s self.

• Cate Baierlein, president and founder, Change of Course

Where do you want to be in five years? In five years, I see my career coaching business benefiting a dynamic group of clientele with a shift in demographics from 75 percent to 25 percent unemployed. Thankfully, this will be due, in part, to a flourishing economy but also to the fact that word of mouth referrals will bring people to me who are fully exploring their career options before being forced to do so. Executives and career professionals will seek me out in order to make bigger and bolder contributions in their workplace and beyond. The not-for-profit company that I manage will be equally successful with three employees serving the employment needs of people with disabilities and more.

How do you define success? My favorite coffee mug reads, “Success is Doing What You Love” and the flip side reads, “Success is Loving What You Do”. A co-worker gave it to me, which shows that my attitude toward life and work really shines through. At the end of the day, when I take inventory of my accomplishments, I am grateful for each moment that I spent in one of these two camps. As a career coach and placement specialist, I delight in helping my clients find the same winning combination in their own lives.

Tell us about your most fruitful business experience. One of the most fruitful business experiences that I had was completing the Leadership Brandon Program in 2004. I was not only introduced to great people who became my friends, but great opportunities. One of my fellow graduates, Billie Smith, a former general manager of the St. Petersburg Times, recommended me to sit on the first advisory committee for the start up of tbt*. From there, many of my peers were involved in Emerge Tampa and I became the editor for their Verb Edge newsletter. I wholeheartedly recommend that anyone who wants to expand their network exponentially participate in the various chamber leadership programs and young professional groups.

How are you changing for the economy? By “going out on my own” I am an example of what the new economy is demanding of its work force. I don’t mean that everyone needs to start incorporated businesses, as I have, in order to survive. Yet, the long-term trend is moving away from larger corporations and manufacturers being able to support local economies. Due to the Internet’s ability to “shrink” the world, companies and individual households are looking to online businesses, often self-employed individuals, to answer their wants and needs. Ironically, the employees who begin to view themselves as independent contractors, creating solutions on a project by project basis for their employers, will be the ones who will be retained by the best organizations.

Where do you want to be in five years? In five years I want to be in a creative education executive leadership position that allows me to travel the world to promote, develop and serve international faculty and student educational experiences

How do you define success? Success is having the courage to be vulnerable; to take risks and to persist.

Tell us about your most fruitful business experience. Seeing students through to graduation

How are you changing for the new economy? Not so much “changing” — more like “continuing” to understand and communicate the value of smart decision making in both my personal and professional lives.

• Tirso Carreja, attorney, Fowler White Boggs PA

Where do you want to be in five years? Professionally: I plan to continue to help my clients work out of the economic challenges that will be facing our country for the next several years and helping them to position themselves strategically when the economy strengthens. Personally: I plan to continue enjoying every minute of family life watching my children grow.

How do you define success? Working hard to ensure that there are no regrets in the end

Tell us about your most fruitful business experience. Over the last 10 years, I have had the pleasure of assisting Verizon Wireless to build out its wireless network throughout the state of Florida. It is really rewarding to see the fruits of your hard work, knowing that you have played a part in helping a client build the strongest network for its customers.

How are you changing for the new economy? I continue to be cost conscious and look for ways to help my clients get the most bang for their buck in legal services. At home, I also try to use these unprecedented times to teach my children about the value of a dollar and the benefits of being cost conscious and fiscally responsible.

• Elizabeth A. DeConti, shareholder, GrayRobinson PA

How do you define success? Success is about working with a client to reach a common goal. Clients who hire us to deal with the legalities of a new business entrust us with their dreams and have confidence that we can help make them a reality. On the flip side, clients who hire us to help them with litigation are counting on us to defend their interests and to advise them in difficult times. In both situations, I have been privileged to be in a position to render assistance, and to have the opportunity to develop business relationships and friendships with some wonderful people. My goal going forward is to continue to nurture these relationships and be the person my clients can rely on to meet their legal needs.

• Graeme Fraser, commercial banking officer, Bank of Tampa

Where do you want to be in five years? I would like to be an active member of my company’s management team.

How do you define success? Being happy performing your day-to-day tasks, being well respected by the people you interact with performing these tasks, and being able to provide for yourself and your family

How are you changing for the new economy? Being more open and innovative with existing and potential new clients and gong the extra mile to offer exceptional service that may be lacking from competitors. Keeping abreast of the newest products and technology.

Where do you want to be in five years? In five years I would like to build upon my foundation of success from the previous year and develop personally and professionally. I'd like to continue to build on my personal branding and always work on self improvement. I hope to continue all of my volunteering and give back to the community and continue to play tennis on a competitive level.

How do you define success? I define success as waking up every morning and looking forward to the day ahead. This would include exceeding expectations of myself and my clients. The combined excitement of work and having the ability to make a healthy living is a true success.

Tell us about your most fruitful business experience. My most fruitful business experience was the transition from my prior company to where I am now. This new experience has provided me with a portfolio and opportunities that I had planned on attaining in years to come. This has given me the foundation to grow my career.

How are you changing for the new economy? I find myself going back to the basics and continuing to make client service satisfaction my number one priority. This entails being detailed oriented and having a fast turnaround time with all phone calls, proposals and other requests.

• Nicholas Holtvluwer, second grade teacher, Mary Bryant Elementary

Where do you want to be in five years? I will be attaining my masters in educational leadership from USF in May 2010. I hope to use this degree to attain a leadership role in the education system, either at a local elementary school or in the School District of Hillsborough County central offices.

How do you define success? I define success through the accomplishments of my students and through the positive impact our school has on our surrounding community.

Tell us about your most fruitful business experience. Since I am a teacher, I am going to change the wording in this question to my most fruitful “teaching” experience. As an elementary teacher, my most fruitful teaching experience comes at the end of every school year. Watching a child leave my classroom on the last day before summer vacation, I know I played a major role in helping that student leave with more knowledge and experiences than they had when he or she arrived on the first day of school. Then there is the challenge knowing I have to start all over again in two months. To me, that is what it is all about.

How are you changing for the new economy? Schools have been hit hard by the recent economic conditions. Budget cuts are affecting everybody, and public schools are not immune. At the local school level, we are reaching out more than ever to our neighboring businesses and forming partnerships. These business partnerships include accepting cash donations to help alleviate budget gaps. We also work with our partners by granting them the ability to showcase their businesses to our faculty and parents, all the while allowing our business partners to donate their time, services and perhaps even gently used technology for the benefit all our stakeholders.

• Jenay E. Iurato, attorney, Shumaker Loop Kendrick, LLP

Where do you want to be in five years? Fulfilling my purpose in life — whether that be continuing to advocate for others, make an impact in the community in which I live and/or looking for new ways to make a difference. As long as I continue to believe in myself, maintain a vision for my life and strive to give my best in all that I do, I believe I will become the person that I’m supposed to be in five years.

How do you define success? When you can look back on your journeys in life and honestly say that you gave to others, never gave up on your goals and appreciated your accomplishments without the need for praise from others.

Tell us about your most fruitful business experience? It’s difficult to define one business experience as being the most fruitful as I’ve become a better person and professional as a result of all my business experiences. I have tried to learn a little something from every professional experience. Through these experiences, I have constantly been reminded that I can learn styles and techniques from my mentors or others but no matter what, I have to be myself to achieve my professional goals.

How are you changing for the new economy? Cultivating creativity. I strongly believe that you have to embrace originality and flexibility to produce effective results in any economy. As a member of Leadership Tampa, I often heard that if you’re going to discuss a problem, you should always present a solution for it. Now, more than ever, I rely upon my creative skills to explore solutions.

• Brandi L. Kamenar, CEO and creative director, Icon B.

Where do you want to be in five years? In five years I would like to accomplish several goals on both a personal and professional level. I would like to penetrate even further into the Tampa Bay market and expand my services to Los Angeles with an even more fashion-forward roster of clients and successful celebrities. I believe behind every great leader there is a great team of people who make it happen. With that in mind, I would like to further pursue the compilation of the perfect team of professionals in each marketplace and assist them with showcasing their talents for successful campaigns. Besides an exceptional sense of publicity, I have an eye for fashion and accessories. I would like to put my fashionable “eye” to work by designing an Icon B. accessories line. In addition to my professional aspirations, I look forward to more personal time ... time with family and friends, travel time and personal growth time. I believe I have much to share with other ambitious women not only in Tampa but throughout the country and anticipate national speaking tours, coaching women on how to brand themselves, be free from their inner fears and enjoy their distinct image!

How do you define success? I believe success is defined by progressing from one point of time to another. Also, I believe you can’t compare yourself to anyone nor can you compare your company’s success to that of another. We are all on very different journeys and have very unique talents. In an overwhelming and crazy business like publicity and marketing, I am thankful every day for the amazing accomplishments and results that my team and I produce. It is wonderful to be a part of this creative, ever-changing and artful profession and to be able to watch the success of the agency grow due to all of the talent on staff and our remarkable client roster!

Tell us about your most fruitful business experience. I have always been an entrepreneur and have had many fantastic opportunities to close the deal on large accounts, to enjoy the fruits of my labor and to share the excitement of success with my team, my friends and my family. Although those moments in my life are irreplaceable, I can sincerely say that the most “fruitful business experience” to date has been the founding of Icon B. And I say “fruitful” in this context because I absolutely love what I do everyday and that provides me with an ultimate fulfillment and happiness that money can’t buy. Like most entrepreneurs, I’ve had to make significant sacrifices in my personal and professional life to get a new agency off the ground in a very difficult economy, but I wouldn’t trade it for the world! I am blessed to make a profound difference in our community and watch the success of our clients grow, all while living my dreams. It doesn’t get any more fruitful than that!

How are you changing for the new economy? You can never be prepared for what life throws your way, but you make changes and take measures for how you do business. I’ve had to adjust everything in my life on both a personal and professional level to survive in this economy. The biggest change was to become a virtual company, therefore relieving a significant amount of overhead costs. This modification has allowed Icon B. to pass along the savings to our clients, adding value to our services, and therefore, grow in this crazy marketplace and economy. I have also drastically adjusted my personal life to prioritize and assess what is a necessity and what possessions I can live without. It has been a valuable lesson in many ways that will forever change the way I think, I buy and I live.

• Altony Lee, senior development officer, Lowry Park Zoo

Where do you want to be in five years? I enjoy serving others and giving back, so this profession fulfills that need. Five years from now I would not be surprised if I still held a position in development or community relations.

How do you define success? You have to achieve positive results in order to be successful.

Tell us about your most fruitful business experience. I have had the pleasure of getting close to some of the most amazing animals in the world, from petting an Indian rhino to feeding a sloth bear. These experiences have heightened my awareness of why it’s important that we take extra steps to conserve our natural resources and protect some of the world’s most endangered species.

How are you changing for the new economy? I am encouraging our Lowry Park Zoo donors to “go green” and support sustainable projects like LEED certified buildings, reef balls built and exhibited by teens in our youth programs or school-aged children spending a day learning about water conservation at the Green Swamp.

Where do you want to be in five years? In five years I’ll be running my practice focusing primarily on helping small businesses and entrepreneurs build and protect their assets. Every year I’ll be able to take a month to devote to volunteer work abroad and maintain my community involvement at home. I’d also want to establish a major local fundraiser for sarcoma research, a cause very near and dear to me.

How do you define success? Success is the ability to love what you do, wake up every morning energized and the courage to follow your dreams. It’s also about passing along all the gifts of knowledge mentors have given to you to someone else for them to realize their life goals.

Tell us about your most fruitful business experience. Late 2007 I was working with an elderly couple and was able to realign their portfolio to be much safer than it had been to provide stability to their retirement income. In 2008 when the market went down their nest egg was protected and I received a letter from one of their children thanking me for being key in protecting their parents’ retirement.

How are you changing for the new economy? Fortunately, I find myself in the perfect place at the perfect time. Families and businesses are realizing their need to save and plan more than ever before, and Northwestern is very strong and reliable with the highest ratings in the industry. Between the strength of the company and the backing of the families who have experienced working with me, I am staying the course and continue to help as many people as I can.

Where do you want to be in five years? Continuing to work and grow as an attorney with my esteemed colleagues at Trenam Kemker as I assist clients in the legal aspects of their personal and professional lives, in particular helping clients plan for their families’ future or cope with the loss of a loved one.

How do you define success? I consider a new client referral from an existing client to be a measure of my success.

Tell us about your most fruitful business experience. My volunteer work with the Hillsborough County Bar Association and other community organizations allows me to be a resource for friends and colleagues who need legal information or help.

How are you changing for the new economy? The questions clients are asking have changed, particularly for estate and tax planning issues, and I’m helping them find answers to the new challenges they are facing.

• Shannon Martin, director of community relations, Aging Wisely

Where do you want to be in five years? In five years, I hope to be leading positive change in the field of aging and caregiving. I envision rapid change over the next several years because our aging population and baby boomer caregivers will require it and because we have great opportunity enhanced by technology and innovation. I want to expand my leadership roles and involvement in the local community and beyond to influence major improvements.

How do you define success? To me, success is making a positive impact in the world. Whether it is through career, volunteer work, being a good friend or parent, everyone contributes differently. If you have used your strengths to contribute something positive to the world, you have been successful in your own way.

Tell us about your most fruitful business experience. One of my most fruitful experiences was taking on a creative and professional challenge developing and teaching an aging course at Eckerd College. It was a chance to use my skills and knowledge in a new way, and it reinvigorated my passion for what I do.

How are you changing for the new economy? First, I am focusing more on supporting local, small businesses, which make the community thrive and are often hit hardest by tough times. I think economic challenges force us all to look closely at how we’re doing things, personally and professionally, which is a good thing. The “new economy” pushes us all to be at the top of our game and promotes innovation. I am fortunate to work for a company that always did those things right, and we continue to evolve our business to fit customer needs and stay in the forefront in our industry.

• Tamara Michaelson, AVP, commercial banker, Synovus Bank

Where do you want to be in five years? Professionally, my five-year goal is to have a more senior role in banking/finance directly involved with managing and mentoring future leaders. I was fortunate to start my banking career during college. I’ve had the opportunity to work in many diverse areas of banking/finance and have held roles on both the operational and sales side(s). This career varied path has enabled me to grow into a multi-faceted commercial banker. Part of my five-year plan is to have the opportunity to grow from my experiences by mentoring up and comers with similar career goals. Life is not about finance, a career or material items; it’s about being truly happy and living each day to its fullest. In order to maintain balance in my life, I will continue to be committed to giving back to our community by sharing my time and effort serving for nonprofit corporations. My primary focus will continue to be nonprofits with a concentration on children’s needs, education, fine arts and/or leadership.

How do you define success? Success to me isn’t about a nice car or a fine home and all of the trappings that go with them. Success means knowing that I have done the right things for the right reasons. Success is neither measured by pecuniary gain nor status. It is measured by the sense of accomplishment or by the smile of a child.

How are you changing for the new economy? Obviously, the banking industry is going through a number of changes. The focus is ensuring we are doing our best to meet the needs of our clients in a tougher banking economy. That means spending more time getting to know one’s clients personally, understanding their business and their banking needs. We are being proactive in identifying, analyzing and managing potential risks and becoming our clients’ trusted adviser.

Tell us about your most fruitful business experience. My most fruitful business experience was becoming involved with Leadership Tampa Bay, a nonprofit leadership development program. This experience allowed me to gain valuable insight regarding our community and afforded me access to other like-minded professionals and future leaders. The program increased awareness to ongoing struggles our community faces. Participating in the class directly led to my involvement with Joshua House, a group home for abused and neglected children. The experiences, networks and friendships made enhanced my life both personally and professionally.

Where do you want to be in five years? I see SEI transitioning senior engineers into partners. This will allow me to focus more on the business development of SEI rather than the day-to-day operations and thus increase our market share.

How do you define success? Business success: “the whole is greater then the sum of the individual parts.” Success of SEI can be seen by people who have heard of SEI, our quality of work and the expertise of our employees, even though customers do not know who I am specifically. Personal success: Being able to spend time with my family and knowing I have protected the life, safety and welfare of the public.

Tell us about your most fruitful business experience. SEI’s business model has been to develop long-term relationships by completing many “smaller type” projects on time and within budget. For SEI, fruitful business experiences are a steady marathon, not a flashy 100-yard dash.

How are you changing for the new economy? Fortunately, SEI was able to envision a new economy more than 18 months ago. As a team, SEI was able to develop a division that provides engineering services to insurance companies, which is not dependent on the economy. Also, SEI is focused more than ever on value engineering. VE allows contractors to keep material costs down in a competitive market. Lastly, SEI is open to any new opportunities that allow us to capture new markets and combat the recession.

• Max Oligario Jr., VP of commercial real estate, SunTrust

Where do you want to be in five years? In five years I would like to be in a position that will allow me to influence people’s lives in a positive way, whether it’s through a senior management position with my bank or through my work in the community.

How do you define success? I feel success is not measured by titles or dollars but rather by how you see yourself for what you’ve accomplished.

Tell us about your most fruitful business experience. My most fruitful business experience has probably been the time I have spent as president of the Tampa Chapter of the National Black MBA Association. It is truly a wonderful organization, and I have had the opportunity to meet so many great people all over the country and strengthen relationships right here in the Tampa Bay area.

How are you changing for the new economy? I don’t feel as if I’m really changing that much despite the “new economy”. I’ve always been big on relationships and networking. I feel that these are qualities that should be focused on in both a good or bad economy in order to remain relevant in today’s business world.

• Matthew Otto, president, Otto Engineering Inc.

Where do you want to be in five years? Planning an exit strategy

How do you define success? Success is the path we follow as a result of ambition, planning, hard work, continual professional evolution, surrounding yourself with the right people and remembering to give back.

Tell us about your most fruitful business experience. Leaving the minority ownership position at my previous place of business to start my own company.

How are you changing for the new economy? We are diversifying our client base to incorporate clients and project types that were once less pursued.

• Brooke Palmer, president, r.s.b.p. Events

Where do you want to be in five years? I could say a lot of different things, but most importantly, I want to be content and fulfilled. I plan to have a thriving business, a family I continue to love an care for and friends that I have made five more years of memories with. I’d also like to have an Aston Martin and move to a private island where my BlackBerry can't find me, but maybe I’ll give myself 10 years for that!

How do you define success? I define it two ways: Hard work, and my father. Without hard work, one can not achieve any sort of success. Henry Ford said it best: “You can’t build a reputation on what you are going to do.” Get out there and DO IT. Secondly, my daddy. Yep, i said it — my daddy. Even at 32, I look at him with such wonderment and admiration. He achieves in every aspect of his life. To this day he will say his greatest successes in life are his marriage and his children. In all that he’s achieved in business, his family is what makes him burn bright. I look to him every day personally and professionally. I am so unbelievably fortunate to have a role model like my father.

Tell us about your most fruitful business experience. This might not be the traditional answer, but it is the truth. My most fruitful business experience was twofold: first, separating with my business partner, and second, being laid off. Now, I'm not saying either was fun, but both pointed me in the same direction — to follow your passion, do it for me. It also taught me to not rely on the talents of others, just your own devices. It gave me the confidence to stand on my own two feet and become a successful marketing director with an incredible opportunity. Then following, after being laid off from that dream job, the ability to cultivate my talents. My former boss said it to me best: “I am going to regret doing this but, it this is for all the right reasons for you. You are going to burst through that ceiling and make me even prouder." Nice to hear when you are getting laid off right? But she was spot on and has been my biggest cheerleader ever since.

How are you changing for the new economy? I have made sure that I am doing business the way I have always done it — follow up and say thank you. Clients are much more demanding for less pay, but I maintain that balance and set boundaries. It works well for me and the client, as I can accomplish more for them and do an incredible job. I also have to be much more creative on limited budgets and consult more frequently than I have ever had to in the past.

• Eric Rabinovitz, VP of operations, Actsoft Inc.

Where do you want to be in five years? On the Forbes 400 list … but I am realistic, so the bottom of the list is acceptable.

How do you define success? By innovation and brand recognition. Revolutionizing the way an entire market or sector thinks; becoming the standard, not an option.

Tell us about your most fruitful business experience. Being asked to take an executive/leadership role at Actsoft, the same company I started with as a young college graduate at an inside sales capacity.

How are you changing for the new economy? By putting more focus than ever before on customer experience. Examining, tweaking and honing at every point of interaction. In today’s marketplace customer lifetime value takes precedence.

• Chandler J. Rapson, CEO, First Service Administrators Inc.

Where do you want to be in five years? I would like to grow my company 400 percent, become the chairman and a Florida state senator where I can enact legislation that leaves my children and grandchildren with a much better place to live and grow.

How do you define success? Success is achieving balance in your personal/family life while leaving a lasting mark in one’s community and nation. It is not defined by ending life with the most toys but using the toys one has to the maximum. I will have achieved success if I am remembered for being an incredible father, community/national leader and entrepreneur.

Tell us about your most fruitful business experience. My most fruitful business experience is occurring as I write this; turning around a company in just 12 months has been an amazing experience and has allowed me to prove to myself and to the business community that I can turn around any company and not only grow it but grow it to the No. 1 fastest growing company of its kind nationally. I’ve learned that it is all about hiring the right people, not having an ego and not getting greedy … try to give more than you get and be humble. It’s also important to create an environment of autonomy and free thinking. That is why we have achieved over 60 percent growth in the past 12 months and are poised for another record year in 2010.

How are you changing for the new economy? I am constantly changing my strategy to accommodate for new economic situations that are often influenced by political agendas. I stay close to both, and since my company is in the health care industry I’ve had to stay close to the health care reform debate. I’ve stayed close to Newt Gingrich’s Center for Healthcare Transformation and his ideas that drive it. I believe Newt is one of the most impressive leaders our country has had and his ideas, if followed, would leave a profound positive impact on our country. Specifically, I am maneuvering my company to work closely with government legislators as they build the state health plan options so FSAI can be well positioned to support the administrative needs that will be required. Obviously, those needs should be filled by Florida domiciled organizations. Finally, I am hoping to convince legislators and Floridians that we must dismantle the national carriers and their networks, which monopolize our health care system and create unfair competition. The fact that there are two to three carriers that make up 90 percent of the health plans in Florida should concern everyone, and similar to the Ma Bell, we need to make them Baby Bells.

• Ginger Reichl, president, Pinstripe Marketing

Where do you want to be in five years? In five years, I will be enjoying the success of the agency, celebrating 12 years of marriage and spending time serving our community.

How do you define success? I define my success by the love of my husband, the respect of my peers, and the hard work and creativity of my teammates.

Tell us about your most fruitful business experience. Founding Pinstripe Marketing has been my most fruitful business experience. I knew that I had a passion for great marketing, but I didn’t know that I would enjoy being an entrepreneur so much.

How are you changing for the new economy? For our client industries that are experiencing a slow down, including architecture, engineering and construction, we are helping them take advantage of the opportunity to step back, review their marketing plans and to prepare for the recovery. Many companies are using this time to do some soul searching and to re-evaluate how they communicate.

• Jennifer G. Roeper, shareholder, Fowler White Boggs PA

How do you define success? Success is knowing your work made a difference in the life of another.

• Daniel James Scott, client services manager, STAR TEC

Where do you want to be in five years? It is my hope that in five years I am here, in Tampa Bay, admiring the thriving entrepreneurial community that we have all contributed to foster.

How do you define success? I define success as a continual, unabashed ambition for something better — always a goal, never an accomplishment.

How are you changing for the new economy? With almost daily groundbreaking business innovations, and an uncertain economy, we are experiencing a once-in-a-lifetime perfect storm for technology entrepreneurs. Our focus is, and will continue to be, leveraging this favorable market for high-impact economic growth here in Tampa Bay.

• Rob Shaw, SVP, commercial banking team leader, USAmeriBank

Where do you want to be in five years? In five years I hope to have continued to participate in the dynamic growth of USAmeriBank and be in a position to serve as a market/city president.

How do you define success? I define success as the ability visualize ones goals, identify a strategy to achieve those goals, execute the strategy with passion and then continually reassess.

Tell us about your most fruitful business experience. My most fruitful business experience was providing a line of credit to a local business that had a 30-year history of success but more recently had experienced a few tough years. The line of credit not only provided them the working capital needed to get through the tough time but allowed them to expand and thrive.

How are you changing for the new economy? The new economy is all about leveraging technology to create efficiencies and competitive advantages while still not losing the human touch essential for long-term relationships. Whether it is through periodic formal training or continual self education, I try and keep myself up to speed on all the tools available to make me more productive. But at the end of the day the small personal touches still make a difference.

• Lisa Slater, president, Capital Concierge

Where do you want to be in five years? Career wise, I plan to grow my business nationwide. We are currently looking to expand to Atlanta and New York City. We hope that in five years we are able to provide our services to cities all across the United States so that we may better assist our corporate clientele who have employees in various locations.

How do you define success? Success to me is being able to spend your time the way you want. It’s being able to have a healthy balance of family, friends, work and hobby time.

Tell us your most fruitful business experience? Tampa Bay Business Journal will like this one! Michael Hinman, a writer from TBBJ, contacted me back in 2007 to discuss doing an article on my business. Of course, I agreed as what is better than free advertising? I received a phone call a week later from a lady who had a concierge service in the area for about three years. She advised me that she saw the article and thought that her clients would be a great fit for our company, as she was going to law school and retiring from the concierge business. To this day, we still have these clients and are so thankful to TBBJ and to her for providing us with such a great opportunity for at the time, a fairly new business.

How are you changing for the new economy? Though times are definitely tough in the luxury services business, we are proud to not have lost any clients. We have a great team and believe in delivering high standards of customer service in everything that we do. We believe that by providing consistency, professionalism and unparalleled service, we will keep our clients happy and it will assist us in gaining new clients despite a weakened economy.

• Aaron J. Slavin, attorney, Slavin Law Firm

Where do you want to be in five years? In five years, I'll be doing the same thing. Hopefully, though, I will be doing it better.

How do you define success? Success is not the key to happiness. Rather, happiness is the key to success. If you love what you are doing, you will be successful. I do and therefore I am.

Tell us about your most fruitful business experience. My most fruitful business experience was making the leap to go out on my own. It truly was sink-or-swim, and I have yet to drown.

How are you changing for the new economy? I haven’t made any changes for the “new economy” because I started my business in the down economy. Our thought is, “If we can be successful now, than we will only be more successful when the economy rights itself.”

• Monique Turley, owner, ShutterBooth

Where do you want to be in five years? If the saying holds true “It gets greater later” then on a personal note I hope to be doing more of the things that I love like traveling, photography and volunteer work. With an entrepreneur spirit I am always thinking about expanding my current business or creating a new business that I can have as much fun with as I do with ShutterBooth!

How do you define success? Never give up and be passionate about what you do.

Tell us about your most fruitful business experience. I never would have thought that joining networking groups would essentially hang up an “Open for Business” sign for me. Joining several different networking groups has allowed me to build relationships. When people see a great product and a passionate person behind that product they are more likely to do business with you. About 25 percent of our business has resulted from networking.

How are you changing for the new economy? We are aware the choice to have a photo booth is not a priority at event. At the same time we realize we are offer a unique and fun form of entertainment that is priceless. We have streamlined our monthly expenses and introduced more affordable packages and options to our clients.

Where do you want to be in five years? Still practicing bankruptcy law with the wonderful people at Trenam Kemker in Tampa.

How do you define success? Success is when you are able to do the work you enjoy and you are in demand in your profession, but you are still able to find time for your other loves like friends and family.

Tell us about your most fruitful business experience. My work with the Florida Bar Business Law Section. It allows me to meet and work with attorneys from all over the state, which enhances my practice and provides me lots of referral sources. On top of that, my involvement allows me to stay on the cutting edge of legal issues in the state.

How are you changing for the new economy? Learning to be more flexible in my engagements and trying to be more creative in finding solutions for my clients.

• Robin Adkins Vosler, group account director, French West Vaughan

Where do you want to be in five years? French West Vaughan is the largest PR firm in the Southeast, although our Tampa office just opened in early 2009. In five years, I would like to have grown our client base and staff exponentially to mimic what our CEO, Rick French, accomplished at our headquarters in Raleigh, N.C.

Tell us about your most fruitful business experience. It actually happened very recently. In September my pr firm, Relations PR & Marketing, was acquired by French West Vaughan. Obviously, in an overall down economy where small businesses are closing left and right, I feel very blessed to have been approached by such an established national firm.

How are you changing for the new economy? Fortunately, the pr business has not slowed down for us. Companies have actually realized that they need to be talked about in the media more now than ever. Business owners have also turned to French West Vaughan to educate them on the benefits of social media and how the pr business is evolving to use those methods as a way to communicate key messages to their target audience.

Where do you want to be in five years? We’re in our startup year at EcoAsset Solutions. In five years, I’d like to be running a successful EcoAsset Solutions for Lykes Bros.

How do you define success? Motivating others to act

Tell us about your most fruitful business experience. In our second month of operation at EcoAsset Solutions, we decided to take a risk and drop everything we were working on to respond to an RFP by the state of Florida to do a carbon sequestration analysis and baseline greenhouse gas inventory of all state owned lands — 4.7 million acres comprising 472 different land conservation units, a mammoth size project. The risk paid off, and we won the contract, which helped put us on the map in our startup year.

How are you changing for the new economy? Our business is at the center of the new clean economy. We have to stay way out in front of the curve so that we can give our clients cutting edge advice on the value proposition that sustainability management plays in growing their bottom line.

• Margaret “Molly” Warfel, manager of recruiting, University of South Florida College of Business

Where do you want to be in five years? In five years, I hope to be here in Tampa balancing an assistant director role at USF with a growing family at home. I also intend to continue my work with the many organizations that I work with, including the Humane Society, the Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center and the Junior League of Tampa, and take on more responsibilities at higher levels.

How do you define success? Success is the place where a person finds complete fulfillment. I truly believe that it is different for everyone.

Tell us about your most fruitful business experience. My most fruitful business experience has been working to develop my position as manager of recruiting at USF over the last three years. Before I came, the role did not exist. Being part of the implementation and development of this role has been the most rewarding and exciting business experience that I have ever had.

How are you changing for the new economy? I have been working to raise my level of personal awareness and to help our current and prospective students make tough decisions about beginning or continuing their educations as they face uncertainty in their careers. At home, I have been trying to be more conscious of how small things, like cooking at home and making my own lunches, can add up to make a big difference.

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